PITA TO THE RESCUE

Pita to the Rescue

            Trying to reconcile the official arrival of spring on March 20^th with single digit nighttime temperatures takes real optimism. The clump of snowdrops next to our front steps is valiantly trying to ignore the snow bank just inches away and is just starting to show some white of the blossoms among the green leaves. Not that those green leaves do not speak for their own achievement this season.

            However, the belated arrival of our maple sugaring season gives me hope.  And as the days lengthen they invariably fill with all the extra chores and activities that signal the changing seasons. Which brings up for consideration not just the need for a lightened menu, but also the time required for preparing meals ‘on the run’. While one can argue about the globalization of economies, the food scene has certainly benefited from our globalization of tastes.  One example is the wide availability of pita bread.

            Pita is flat bread, slightly leavened and is one of the most ancient of breads. It has been a staple of the Mediterranean region for millennia and has been used to scoop up various dips such as hummus and even stews. There are whole wheat and white varieties of pita.  Baking at high temperatures causes it to puff and split in the middle, giving it the added useful feature of  a convenient pocket for stuffing with any array of tasty fillings, only limited by your imagination. And the good news is that half a large pita loaf is only 110 calories.

            My first encounter with pita came years ago at a Greek restaurant where it came stuffed with falafel (a deep fried patty of ground chick peas with a salad) or tiny succulent lamb kebabs with their own spicy sauce. Now that pita bread has become widely available at the supermarket, I find it useful whenever a quick meal is demanded. Like tacos, pita is a convenience staple for any kitchen. What is more, it allows you to combine a number of delectable items in an edible self-contained envelope, even if a knife and a fork may be advisable.

                                                Breakfast pita

            Fill each ½ of a warmed large pita bread with eggs scrambled with diced ham, sprinkle the eggs with some shredded cheddar cheese and tablespoon of chopped tomato and a dash or two of Tabasco, if desired.

            One of my favorite lunches is some hot or cold soup with open faced Danish type sandwiches, which unfortunately require a bit of time and a variety of decorative toppings. The Mediterranean version of pita sandwich is still decorative, equally tasty, but a bit less finicky to make.

                                                Luncheon pita sandwich

            These are easier to handle if you cut large pita bread first in quarters. Open up each quarter and spread with hummus (may be flavored), top with thin sliced smoked turkey or ham, then very thinly sliced English cucumber and close with the top layer of the pita. Spear each quarter sandwich with a toothpick and an olive or a cherry tomato.

            Stir fries adapt to pita filling equally well, especially at times when you are a bit short on time for cooking rice as an accompaniment.  The following recipe is for shrimp, but you could make it equally well with stir-fried chicken or beef.

                                                Shrimp and mushroom pita

            To prepare the filling: sauté on high heat 1 thinly sliced medium onion with 4 oz. sliced mushrooms in 1Tblsp. vegetable oil for 5 minutes, stir in ½ cup chopped red pepper, 1 ½  Tblsp. lemon juice, 1 Tblsp. fish sauce, ½ Tblsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 1 chopped tomato, ¼ cup broth and bring to boil. Stir in ¾ to 1 lb of cleaned medium shrimp and continue to cook stirring until the shrimp have turned pink and most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in 2 chopped green onions and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional). Serve in warmed pockets of large pita bread cut in half.

Served with a salad this makes and exceptional lunch dish, but would do equally well as a dinner entrée with some green beans or asparagus in hope of real spring.                       

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

MARCH WITH IRISH FLAVORS

March with Irish flavors.

             As the saying goes: “On St. Patrick’s day, everybody is Irish”. We get caught up in the exuberance, the music and the joyous gift of blarney. Some of the notable excesses for the day even on this side of “the pond” include green beer and in some years past, Chicago has made its river run green for the occasion.  We love the thought of people so passionate that they are willing to kiss a stone for the source of eloquence in County Cork.

            In contrast, less well known is Irish food. Except for noting the ubiquitous ads for corn beef and cabbage in early in March, most of us would be hard pressed to come up with a list of Irish specialties. My husband, of Irish descent, could only come up with oatmeal. We both like Irish oatmeal for breakfast and find that ¾ cups of Maine steel cut oats cooked with 2 ½ cups water and salt for 30 minutes makes a satisfying breakfast for two, that is nearly as flavorful as the Irish variety of oats.  A bit of research uncovered such colorfully named dishes as:” Skirlie, Soda or Potato Farls, Crubeens, Clapshot, Boxty and Dublin coddle. However more approachable are: stews and savory pies.

The traditional dishes focused  on local food for survival and include: potatoes, cabbage, oatmeal and meat in the form of bacon, sausage and lamb or mutton, often in thrifty and tasty preparations that are even timely today. More modern emphasis on local food features lamb and the bountiful seafood harvest from local waters, which include mussels, salmon and oysters. Guinness stout of course has a featured role not only on St. Paddy’s Day and in the pub, but also in dishes as diverse as lamb shanks with Guinness and Irish rarebit.

                                    Traditional corned beef

This traditional recipe is actually quite easy to prepare. Place a rinsed 3 lb. piece of corn beef in a Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid, cover barely with water and add the spice packet that usually comes with it.  In absence of a spice packet add 2 bay leaves, 4 allspice berries, 2 tsp. black peppercorns, 2 cloves and salt. Bring to boil, cover tightly with a lid and braise in a 300 degree oven for 3 ½ hours. Remove meat from the liquid and cover to keep warm.  On top of the stove, add 8 small red potatoes cut in half and 4 cleaned carrots sliced in 2 ½ inch pieces to the braising liquid and boil until vegetable are soft for about 20 minutes.

As for the cabbage, I prefer to stir fry cabbage strips about ½ inch wide in 1 Tblsp. each of olive and sesame oils, sprinkle with salt and 1 tsp. caraway seed and ¼ cup beef broth. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes and serve with the sliced corned beef and vegetables.

                                    Shepherd’s pie

This is another popular dish which is an easy one dish meal and a good way to use up any leftover mashed potatoes. Brown 1 lb lean ground beef in a heavy pan and set aside. In the same pan sauté 1 large chopped onion until softened (about 5 minutes), stir in 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 tsp. dried thyme for an additional minute. Stir in the contents of a 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes, a package of frozen peas and carrots, ½ package of Au jus mix and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.  Return the meat to the pan, mix thoroughly and transfer to a two-quart baking dish.  If you have 1-2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes, heat them in a microwave and beat in some hot milk with an electric mixer. Spread over the meat and vegetable mixture and brush with melted butter.  Place in a 425^o oven for 15 to 20 minutes until thoroughly heated through and the potatoes are slightly browned. If you do not have leftover mashed potatoes: peel, quarter and boil 5-6 medium potatoes with salt. Drain when quite soft, mash and whip with an electric mixer and about 1/3 cup hot milk to make fresh mashed potatoes. 

            This satisfying meal could be partnered with some stout in honor of the day, or followed by a cup of steaming Irish coffee for desert. The leprechauns will certainly whisk away any dreaded calories.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan. ”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

PITY THE MALIGNED POTATO

Pity the Maligned Potato

            The passage and signing of the 2014 US Farm Bill a week ago was hailed and criticized for some equally good reasons. On Sunday January 26, before the vote, the Maine Sunday Telegram article about ongoing Congressional Potato Wars caught my eye. As a scientist, who retired to Maine some time ago and who is greatly concerned about food and nutrition, I was shocked.

Not widely known is an exclusion by USDA of fresh white potatoes from the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutrition program that had been part of the law in the previous 2009 Farm bill. In other words, low income women with food vouchers could not buy fresh potatoes, while the vouchers were accepted for processed French fries, chips, canned or dried potatoes. The current Potato Wars were focused on repeal of that decree and to “prevent further regulation” of potatoes in school programs.

Unfortunately the debate was conducted and publicized as ‘industry’ against ‘health and nutrition’ groups. But ‘the industry’ was really represented only by potato growers, not processors. The health and nutrition side was USDA, influenced by a panel, and not by simple comparisons of fresh versus most popular processed foods, which includes French fries.  Despite efforts by members of the Maine congressional delegation and others, the fight was lost, with only minimal changes in language of the previous law. The puzzle remains. The USDA has stated that the real aims of food assistance programs are to provide assistance to those without means to economically obtain healthy food.

As a consumer and cook, I have always been interested in both nutrition and price. I did the comparison myself last week. It was unfortunately too late for the official outcome, but the results were remarkable. Having bought a bag of fresh potatoes (4lb/$3.84) and French fries (26 oz./$2.59) at a local supermarket, I proceeded with the comparison. Using a scale and the official and stated values on packaging I made the calculations for an average serving: 1 baked potato or 1 cup of boiled potatoes compared to 19 baked French fries, which are equal in weight.

Fresh Potato                Baked Fries

Calories                       116                              246

Sodium(Salt)                   9.2 mg                      440

Potassium                    636   mg                      not determined

Vitamin C                      49%                              7%

Added ingredients          0                                  9

Cost/serving                32 cents                       53 cents

            In other words, a 4 lb bag of potatoes could make 12 single servings for a total of $3.84, while those 12 single servings of baked fries would cost $6.34. This represents a saving of $2.50. Almost twice the savings could have been made had I done the calculation the week before, when a 4 lb bag of potatoes was on sale for $2.00.  Moreover, if there were a choice on food vouchers, fresh potatoes could be used for clam and other chowders and soups, oven roasted vegetables, as well as potatoes in gratins and fritatas.  Lack of choice steers you to fries, even dried and canned forms of potatoes that have multiplicity of added ingredients with marginal if any nutritional value.

            One of the easiest ways to prepare fresh potatoes besides baking or boiling them is baking them in a sauce, which is most easily done is in a broth or with milk. If you add cheese, it can be called a gratin. The recipe readily adapts for more people and leftovers are easily reheated in a glass dish.

                        Simple scalloped potatoes

            Peel and thinly slice 4-5 medium potatoes in ¼ inch slices. Cut a medium onion in half lengthwise and slice very thinly. Apply baking spray to an 8x8 inch baking dish. Drain potatoes and place in alternate layers in the baking dish with the sliced onions, ending with potatoes on top. Heat a cup of salted chicken or vegetable broth to boiling and pour on top. Make sure the potatoes are covered. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 10 minutes if you wish to reduce the volume or slightly brown the top.

            For more elaborate scalloped potatoes, substitute hot milk or Half and Half for the broth, adjusting seasoning with salt, pepper and 1 tsp. ground thyme. To make a gratin, incorporate ½ cup sharp cheddar in the potato layers and sprinkle another ½ cup on top for the last 10 minutes of baking.

            Pity the maligned white potato as viewed in the Farm Bill. Is the new crop of Maine yellow fleshed potatoes the answer?

            (I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)